ISLAMABAD: World Health Organization’s (WHO) Pakistan Representative, Dr Palitha Mahipala Wednesday said that WHO would continue to provide all possible support to Pakistan amid the coronavirus crisis.

WHO had taken several comprehensive measures to collaborate with the government and formed a coordinated response strategy to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Mahipala said this at handing over ceremony of PCR machines for people affected by Corona disease and visit to Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), Peshawar along with his team.

He said that as COVID-19 continued to spread its tentacles dreading humans, the governments all over the globe were accelerating their efforts to curb the pandemic. He added WHO was at the forefront of coordinating and planning concerted efforts to support the government of Pakistan in its fight against COVID-19.

Dr Mahipala said “We are with Pakistan in this moment of global health crisis. We will continue to support Pakistan to help it control the pandemic as our priority is the health and well being of people.”

He said “In these unprecedented times, we must come together to comfort each other and support all of those who have suffered.”

Director KTH Dr Tahir Nadeem appreciated Dr Palitha’s commitment in the face of adversity and WHO’s arduous support to Pakistan during floods and dengue.

Clinical In-charge, Dr Muhammad Asghar briefed about the Public Health Laboratory (PHL) MTI KTH Peshawar.

He appreciated timely and invaluable assistance by WHO to the Pakistani government to chalk out the strategic Corona preparedness and response plan to stop the viral crisis which had halted life everywhere unequivocally.

He acknowledged the WHO’s support to the PHL for the COVID-19 pandemic by highlighting the donation of two fully automated PCR machines, one Real-time PCR machine and continuous supply of reagents and Viral Transport Medium (VTM).

He briefed the WHO team about the continuous efforts to scale-up the capacity of PHL for detection, prevention and control of various diseases and requested WHO’s support in this regard.